Shoes may be constructed according to any one of several different types of constructions known in the art.
One type of construction, often referred to as an Opanka construction, typically includes sewing the outsole to the upper of the shoe along the entire outer periphery of the outsole. Because the outsole is generally made of rubber or other flexible material, the outsole normally provides some level of comfort and permits an awl to penetrate the outsole to sew the upper to the outsole.
Another type of construction usually entails cementing, or gluing, the outsole to a lasted upper. A further method for constructing a shoe commonly includes a combination of sewing and cementing, where the forepart of the upper is typically sewn to the forepart of the outsole and the rear part of the upper, which is typically lasted, is cemented to the rear part of the outsole.
Another type of shoe construction, often found in shoes having heels such as dress shoes, may include the use of fasteners, such as nails, rivets, or screws, to fasten the heel to the outsole. Fasteners normally have a pointed end that is driven downwardly through a tuck, which is typically in contact with the upper after the upper has been lasted, and into the heel. A possible disadvantage of using fasteners to secure the heel to the outsole is that the outsole, because it is typically of rubber or other flexible material, does not provide sufficient integrity for anchoring the fasteners. As a result, the upper may separate from the outsole.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,455 to Seo appears to relate to an anchor plate lying in a channel on a top surface of an outsole and ay include a plurality of thru-holes for receiving fasteners. The fasteners may pass through the outsole and attach to a traction device that seems to be visibly located on the underside of the outsole (see FIG. 5).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,220 to Johnson appears to disclose a tuck for anchoring nails, which secure an insole, outsole, and upper to the tuck. The tuck seems to be of a rigid material and may be positioned on top of the insole on the inside but beneath a foam lining in the shoe.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,946 to Morris seems to disclose an anchor plate having threaded holes to receive fasteners, which secure a slide plate that may be positioned underneath the outsole to the anchor plate (see FIGS. 3 and 6). The anchor plate appears to sit on top of the midsole.
What is desired, therefore, is a shoe having improved structural integrity. What is also desired is a shoe construction that provides improved integrity to the outsole so that the upper may be adequately secured to the outsole. A further desire is an outsole that provides sufficient integrity to receive and anchor fasteners that secure the upper to the outsole.